Permanent waving devices



May 7, 1963 J. c. FIORE 3,

PERMANENT WA'VING DEVICES Filed July 6, 1962 2'Sheets-$heet 1 INVENTOR: JOSEPH c. FIORE;

HIS ATTORNEY United States Patent 9 3,088,471 PERMANENT WAVING DEVICES Joseph C. Fiore, 730 E. 232ml St., New York, NY. Filed July 6, 1962, Ser. No. 208,140 Claims. (Cl. 132-136) The invention relates to permanent waving devices, and relates more particularly to a permanent waving device of the comb type in which slidable tooth members cooperate with fixed tooth members to clamp and release hair.

It is among the principal objects of the invention to provide a device of this type for separating hair sections; these hair sections so separated can then easily be rolled up individually, for instance for home cold permanent waving.

It is another object of the invention to provide for such a permanent Waving device in which each movable member performs a planetary motion, moving linearly as Well as spinning about its axis during clamping and release movement; the linear as well as spinning directions are opposite for the clamping and, respectively, for the release movements.

It is still another object of the invention to provide for such a permanent waving device, the movable teeth members of which move simultaneously with an actuator and yet are not secured thereto, so that each movable tooth member will turn while being shifted laterally.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for such a device that is easy to manipulate with the fingers of one hand.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, one embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the description.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the permanent waving device in the hair release position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the permanent waving device, with the cover partly removed, and showing the device in the hair clamping position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device with the cover removed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 3.

In carrying the invention into effect in one of the em bodiments which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description herein, and referring now particularly to FIG. 1, there is provided a permanent waving device -11 of comb like appearance; in fact, it may be worn like a comb, and when suitably embellished or decorated, may be an attractive adornment for feminine coiffure.

The device 11 comprises a frame 12 that includes a horizontal portion 13 and an upright portion 14 at one side of the horizontal portion 13; the frame 12 furthermore includes a series of fixed elongated members or teeth or tooth members 16, five fixed members 16 being shown in the drawing. The fixed members 16 may be formed integrally with the frame 12. Each fixed member 16 may be hollow to receive, at least partially, as explained below, on its interior a movable member or tooth or tooth member 17.

The horizontal portion of the frame 12 is slotted, for instance it may have a single elongated slot 18 throughout a major portion of the length of the frame 12.

A plurality, for instance four, of the movable elongated tooth members 17 may be provided; the movable teeth 17 project through the slot 18, and the inner edges 19 of the slot 18 guide the movable members 17 during their movements.

Each movable member 17 carries near its upper end a pinion 21 secured thereto so that the movable member 17 will partake in all the movements of the pinion 21. The pinions 21 are supported by the horizontal portion 13 above the slot 18, thereby suspending the movable members 17 The fixed tooth members 16 are each spaced apart from the others for a predetermined gap 22, and in each gap 22 there is disposed for movement one of the movable tooth members 17 A stationary rack is mounted on the frame 12, for instance a fixed rack 23 that may be integral with the upright portion 14 of the frame 12; instead of being integral, however, the rack 23 may also be otherwise formed on or connected to the frame 12. The rack 23 carries gear teeth 24 of a size and pitch that match, and mesh with, gear teeth 26 of the pinions 21.

Opposite the stationary rack 23, there is slidably arranged a movable rack 27 which has teeth 28 that mesh with the teeth 26 of the pinions 2 1. Between the two racks 23 and 27, there is an elongated space 46 in which the pinions 21 are disposed. A guide strip 29 is removably mounted adjacent the movable rack 27, forming a backing and guide for the movable rack 27.

A cover 31 surmounts the frame 12. The horizontal frame portion 13, the vertical portion 14, the guide strip 29, and the cover 31 complete a housing 32. The pinions 21, the fixed rack 23, and the movable rack 27 are disposed in the housing 32. Attachment means, such as screws 33, may be provided to fasten releasably the cover 31 in place.

The movable rack 27 may, as best shown in FIG. 3, have an upper flange 34 that is parallel with the horizontal frame portion 13. The flange 34 has an elongated aperture 36 that is disposed above the slot 18. Each pinion 21 carries a stud 37 that penetrates into the aperture 36. The movable teeth 17 thus are guided in the parallel aperture 36 and slot 18.

The movable rack 27 carries at one end a handle 38. A spring latch 39 may be provided on the I andle 38 which is operable to engage a stationary part of the housing, for instance a lip 41 of the guide strip 29, when the movable rack .27 is in the clamping position. The latch 39 carries a head 42. When the latch 39 engages the lip 41, it may be released by finger pressure exerted on the head 42.

The guide strip 29 has a passage 43 cut out. A stationary pin 44 is mounted in the passage 43. A movable pin 47 is mounted on the movable rack 27 and moves back and forth with the movable rack 27. A tension spring 48 is suspended between the pins 44 and 47 and urges the movable rack 27 in a direction (to the right of FIG. 2) into the hair release position.

The movable rack 27 can move between two extreme positions, namely a release position (shown in FIG. 1) and a clamping position (shown in FIG. 2).

When the operator pushes the handle 38 into the housing 32, while the device is in the release position (FIG. 1), movable rack 27 will move in one direction A (to the right in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). During this movement the movable rack 27 will cause the pinions 21 to rotate in the direction C (counterclockwise in FIG. 4); due to the meshing engagement of the pinions 21 not only with the movable rack 27 but also with the fixed rack 23, the pinions 21 will not only rotate each about its axis but also move linearly in the same one direction A (towards the right in 'FIG. 4) thus moving in a planetary motion, until the movable rack 27 comes to a halt in the extreme clamping position (FIG. 2). In that position of the movable rack 27, the spring 48 will be tensioned; an outermost (right hand side, FIG. 2) movable tooth 17 will in the clamping position abut, as best shown in FIG. 6, against the end 49 of the slot 18, thereby forming a stop for halting the movable rack 27 in the predetermined exact clamping position.

In the clamping position, the latch 39 will engage the lip 41, thereby locking the movable rack 27 and the pinions 21 and therewith the movable teeth 17 in the clamping position; in the clamping position, as best shown in FIG. 2, the movable tooth members 17' are received in the hollow fixed tooth members 16.

Upon unlatching of the latch 39, the tensioned spring 48 will pull the movable rack 27 in the opposite direction B (to the left in FIG. 4) until the movable rack 27 returns to the release position (FIG. 1). In the release position, the opposite outermost movable tooth 17 (the left most movable tooth in FIG. 2) will abut against the opposite end 51 of the slot 18, thereby halting the return movement in the direction B of the movable rack 27. During this return movement, the pinions 21 will turn in the direction D (clockwise in FIG. 4), and will at the same time move linearly in the said opposite direction B (to the left in FIG. 4) thereby again moving in a planetary though opposite motion.

As will be obvious to the skilled person, the speed of the linear movement in the directions A and B of the movable teeth 17 is about one-half of the speed of the movable rack 27 in the directions A and B.

The movement of the movable teeth 17 in the aforesaid opposite directions A and B (to the right and to the left in FIG. 4) has been indicated in the instant exemplification to be a linear movement, though a curved movement could instead be substituted by suitable changes in structure, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The arrangement of the handle 38 and the latch 39 is such that the operator may operate the device 11 with one hand, holding the housing 32 with some of the fingers of that hand and operating the handle 38 and latch 39 with one finger of that hand, in hair clamping as well as hair releasing.

During the movement in the opposite directions A and B, the horizontal frame portion 13 forms a guide that supports the pinions 21 and that guides the movable teeth v17 in the slot 18. The movable teeth 17 are furthermore guided by means of the studs 37 in the elongated aperture 36.

The operator, who in many instances may be the lady doing her own hair, will hold the device :11 with one hand and insert it into the hair. When inserting it into the hair, the device 11 will be in the release position (FIG. 1).

After the insertion, the operator will push in the handle 38 in the direction A into the housing. This will cause rotation of the movable teeth 17 and shifting thereof in the one direction A (to the right in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). When the movable teeth 17 have reached the clamping position ('FIGS. 2, 4), hair will be clamped between the movable teeth 17 and the fixed teeth 16. In the clamping position, the latch 39 will be latched to the 4 lip 41, thereby retaining the device in the clamping position.

The clamped hair sections may be subjected to individual rolling up and to treatment such as home cold permanent waving treatment.

For removing, the operator will depress the head 42 to disengage the latch 39, whereupon the spring 48 will cause the movable teeth 17 to return to the release position. In the release position the movable teeth 17 are spaced from their respective fixed teeth 16 for a distance suflicient to release the clamped hair sections.

1 wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A permanent waving device, comprising in combination a frame including a series of longitudinal fixed teeth, each spaced apart from another fixed tooth for a predetermined gap, a stationary rack connected to said frame, a movable rack disposed opposite said stationary rack and being slidable on said frame between two opposite extreme positions, said racks defining therebetween an elongated space, a plurality of separate planetary longitudinal movable teeth arranged in said gaps, a plurality of pinions supported by said frame and disposed in said space and each mounted on and suspending a movable tooth, said pinions engaging said racks, whereby in one of the extreme positions of the movable rack each movable tooth will be stationed spaced from one of its two gap confining fixed teeth and, respectively, in the other extreme position of the movable rack each movable tooth will be stationed closely adjacent said one fixed tooth, the planetary movement of each movable tooth during shifting of the movable rack being substantially linearly along a portion of said space and spinning about its longitudinal axis.

2. A permanent waving device, as claimed in claim 1, together with, a handle mounted on said movable rack, latching means between said housing and said movable rack operable for releasably latching the movable rack in an extreme position, and resilient means urging the movable rack into the opposite extreme position.

3. A permanent waving device, as claimed in claim 1, at least some of said fixed teeth being hollow receiving at least partially each on its interior the respective movable tooth when the movable rack is in the said other extreme position.

4. A permanent waving device, as claimed in claim 1, together with, handle means connected to the movable rack and in all positions extending at least partially from one longitudinal end of said housing, whereby the operator may hold the housing with some of the fingers of one hand and operate the handle with one finger of the same hand, in hair clamping and, respectively, in hair releasing.

5. A permanent waving device, as claimed in claim 1, an elongated slotted guide connected to said frame, said guide supporting said pinions, and said movable teeth passing through said slotted guide to be guided thereby during their movements.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A PERMANENT WAVING DEVICE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A FRAME INCLUDING A SERIES OF LONGITUDINAL FIXED TEETH, EACH SPACED APART FROM OTHER FIXED TOOTH FOR A PREDETERMINED GAP, A STATIONARY RACK CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME, A MOVABLE RACK DISPOSED OPPOSITE SAID STATIONARY RACK AND BEING SLIDABLE ON SAID FRAME BETWEEN TWO OPPOSITE EXTREME POSITIONS, SAID RACKS DEFINING THEREBETWEEN AN ELONGATED SPACE, A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE PLANETARY LONGITUDINAL MOVABLE TEETH ARRANGED IN SAID GAPS, A PLURALITY OF PINIONS SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME AND DISPOSED IN SAID SPACE AND EACH MOUNTED ON AND SUSPENDING A MOVABLE TOOTH, SAID PINIONS ENGAGING SAID RACKS, WHEREBY IN ONE OF THE EXTREME POSITIONS OF THE MOVABLE RACK EACH MOVABLE TOOTH WILL BE STATIONED SPACED FROM ONE OF ITS TWO GAP CONFINING FIXED TEETH AND, RESPECTIVELY, IN THE OTHER EXTREME POSITION OF THE MOVABLE RACK EACH MOVABLE TOOTH WILL BE STATIONED CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID ONE FIXED TOOTH, THE PLANETARY MOVEMENT OF EACH MOVABLE TOOTH DURING SHIFTING OF THE MOVABLE RACK BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LINEARLY ALONG A PORTION OF SAID SPACE AND SPINNING ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS. 